Malta placed first among 32 countries surveyed by the European Commission in eGovernment services, their availability and user-friendliness.
The survey, carried out by reputable ICT analysts on behalf of the European Commission, ranked Malta first in five of the six core indicators, where it achieved full marks. The last time the survey was held, Malta classified first in two of the core indicators. Apart from the 27 EU member states, the survey included Croatia, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey.
The first core indicator, online sophistication, measured the extent to which eGovernment services allowed for interaction between the government and citizens or businesses. The second, full online availability, measures to which extent the 20 basic services are available. Malta scored 100 per cent in both.
The third and fourth core indicators rated the user-experience for eServices as well as the national portal gov.mt. These covered aspects of usability, transparency, privacy and the possibility for users to provide feedback. Even in these two indicators, Malta got full marks.
The last two indicators dealt with eProcurement and the availability of information on public tenders online and with the possibility of tenders and documents being submitted electronically. In the first, Malta scored 100 per cent and in the second it got 76 per cent because it is not yet possible to submit tenders online.
Malta Information Technology Agency chairman, Claudio Grech, said efforts were underway to have one engine for the submission of tenders electronically, adding that, by next year’s survey, Malta would be on the forefront in this indicator too.
He said that, as from next year, Malta’s ICT efforts would continue with the roll-out of the country’s eGovernment framework. These included the electronic ID cards, more electronic forms through the gov.mt portal and focus on eHealth with electronic patient records.
IT Minister Austin Gatt expressed satisfaction at the “excellent results” which he pegged to the government’s ICT vision.